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Had an amazing experience had Camelia. Every dish we ordered was delicious. We sat outside in the lovely patio. Service was phenomenal. Would definitely be back!
I've enjoyed having a spot like Camelia in Los Angeles with a bit of fusion flair. This was our second visit and though it wasn't as memorable as the first, it was still enjoyable. The pot pie is easily the can't‑miss dish being the most memorable dish during both visits. On the second visit, we tried: - Black Sesame Parker House Rolls - Broccolini - Grilled Oyster Mushrooms - Croque Madame with ham katsu (gruyère, mornay sauce, shokupan, cornichons) - Pork Chop - Duck Frites - Abalone & Bay Scallop Pot Pie (king trumpet mushrooms, "snail butter"). You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu though I will say the duck dish I had enjoyed more on my first visit; this time around it leaned noticeably salty, which took away from the dish I enjoyed before. Service is friendly and the space has a bit of an understated, comfortable feel, but intentional. It's the kind of place where you settle in, enjoy the food, and appreciate the details. I love the thoughtfulness of the dishes. Though a few inconsistencies between visits, still a spot I'd return to, especially for that pot pie.
We had reservations so we sat right away. The place was basically full inside and outside already right at opening so service was kind of slow. It's dimly lit and loud since there were so many people there already. We were ready to order everything by the time someone came to take our drink order. It's happy hour 5-6pm so half price oysters and discounted highballs. 1/2 dozen oysters were great ! So fresh and creamy Uni and bluefin tuna toast was extremely disappointing. $28 for 2 tiny pieces and it wasn't very flavorful and the toast was soggy The seabass was average again not really worth the price. The mashed potatoes were sweet kind of weird Abalone and scallop pot pie was phenomenal !!!! I could eat 10 of these !! If I ever come back I'd skip most of these items and just get way more oysters and another pot pie
Camelia, a restaurant tucked away on corner street on the outer edges of the Arts District. I came here to take advantage of my $150 restaurant credit through my Chase CC and luckily Camelia had open spots a day before they expire. Overall I thought my EXPERIENCE was solid and the FOOD was decent. Let me break it down. I'll list from best to worst. The pot pie was the standout--it came out piping hot. Medium chunks of scallops and bits of snail. Has a creamy and tart/sour taste from the lemon they serve. The bread on top was flaky. Would order again. 6 dozen oysters (during happy hour 5-6pm)--I haven't had oysters in a while, but the were the best I had in a while. They come with a yuzu type sauce and a tomato based sauce. Both were good. These next three I'll group them together as good/decent but nothing special. The mousse pate was packed with flavor, wish the bread was crispier. Spaghetti I can make this better. Burger was okay with lots of melted cheese and (I think) carmelized onions between a brioche--wish this had more in it. The worse thing was the broccolini. I'm not sure why this is even on the menu. If not for the pot pie, the food alone would be a solid 3. I bumped it up to 4 because of the pot pie, the delicious (and stiff) drinks, and the overall experience.
Came here on a Sunday night and it was packed. This is a hip, unpretentious restaurant that gave me a Seattle vibe. Service was friendly, attentive but not intrusive. We started with chicken liver mousse toast with blackberry mostarda and yuzu daikon. These two small crostinis are just enough to whet our appetites. We initially ordered the abalone scallop pot pie and Japanese sea bream. The pot pie crust was melt in your mouth flaky. The filling, consisting of tiny diced cubes of abalone, baby scallops (whole) and king mushroom had a mild, buttery taste. Frankly, I felt that the filling was quite scant, albeit tastes good. The sea bream had a crusty skin on top and the flesh was flaky. The sauce was really good. We ended up ordering the black sesame rolls so we could sop all the sauce from the plate. Anyway, we were still hungry so I ordered the pork chop and boy, was it good! It had a breaded crust of honey mustard goodness. It was cooked perfectly tender and somehow has absorbed the flavor of the seasonings. Anyway, we enjoyed this meal and will definitely be back.
Came to celebrate our anniversary and had a great experience at Camelia. Cocktails (3.5/5): while they were good, we felt that they were lacking in alcohol content and tasted a little watered down. Oysters (5/5): great value for happy hour and they were tasty. Bluefin tuna toast (2/5): for the cost, the quality did not match and it didn't have much flavor. Chicken liver toast (5/5): highly recommend, I normally don't like chicken liver but I loved this one. Japanese Bolognese (3.5/5): solid, but nothing too special about it. Abalone pot pie (5/5): one of the highlights of the meal, could have eaten one by myself! Duck (4/5): it was cooked well and tasty, loved the fries that came with it. Overall a very nice spot for dinner, highly recommend coming earlier to catch their happy hour deals. Good music, nice ambiance, perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. Not sure if we would pay full price, but using our Chase Sapphire Reserve benefit was worth it!
French Japanese! Looking over the menu, this place might seem a bit pretentious with the heavy use of fancy ingredient names and French terminologies, but the food is generally pretty recognizable and tasty. Chicken Liver Mousse - It's like, interesting. Very small appetizer of sorts. Chicken Liver on a tiny piece of toast. Bite-sized. Realistically, might not feel worth the $14 price tag, but heck, we're also here to have a culinary experience of sorts, right? If you don't care for liver and you want actual substantial food, then you can probably skip it. Pork Chop w/ Hot Mustard crust - It was very good! Pork chop was very juicy and delicious. The exterior crust was crispy at some points, and it lead to a very delightful texture. The entree is also tastefully complimented with slices of peaches and fennel. I was very pleased with it. Sweet Potato Gratin - To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of sweet potato. Despite that, I thought it was still pretty good. It also pairs really well with the Pork Chop. Mines came out a little late after I had already finished the Pork, but I still had some pieces of the Pork Chop's crust layer which paired *really* well with the Gratin. If you love sweet potato, you will definitely enjoy this. If you're so-so about sweet potato, it's still pretty good. Abalone and Scallops Pot Pie - This was my favorite. Honestly, if I could order a bigger bowl that was twice the size filled with twice the Abalone and Scallops, I would be over the moon. I love both ingredients, and the "snail butter" complements really well with them. (Snail butter is the same thing they would use with escargot, only without the escargot. I think it's butter with parsley, garlic and shallots) There's a slice of lemon too you can add as well. I alternated bites of the puff pastry lid and the seafood filling, and when I ran out of the latter, I'd dip the puff pastry into the snail butter. It's really good! The service was very friendly and on-par with what I'd expect from a fancier restaurant. My sweet potato gratin was supposed to pair with the pork chops but came out a bit late (even though these are technically two separate dishes) and they were super apologetic about it. I didn't really mind it (although it would have been nice) but I could tell that they are trying to hold themselves to a higher standard because of the interaction. Honestly, I was pretty impressed and while it didn't blow my mind, I wouldn't mind coming back if fate dictates.
Liked the ambiance, high ceilings, and their overall setting. Went ahead to sit at the bar...the bartender was super friendly and welcoming. I was surprised that hot towel 'oshibori' was brought to me - very nice touch! I love oshibori! I asked how their burger was...his response was it was the first item he decided to take back home since it was really good, well, I'm sold! Ordered happy hour beverage as well - they looked to be good deals. Both the burger and fries were tasty and perfect with aioli! While the bar seating was filled up while I was eating, the bartender paid close attention and knew the timing to ask for refill. ;) Anyhow, I enjoyed my weekday happy hour experience downtown LA!
I want to first start off thanking the staff, especially Patrick and Rebecca for an incredible experience. Everyone had amazing hospitality and attention to detail. We did the tasting menu and it showcased variety of flavors. We added some additional dishes. Our favorite dish was the Jimmy Nardello peppers. The flavors were out of this world (I would eat that everyday if I could). Every wine that was recommended, paired so lovely with every course. It truly was a special dinner. Thank you all!
Came here for dinner and I was quite impressed with the food. Service was also top tier as well. Each dish came out in a timely manner and was well coursed out. We got oysters, HH bubbles and highball, pot pie, broccolini, prawns, croque madame, duck, and pork chop. Honestly the broccolini and croque madame were just okay to me. But we really enjoyed everything else we ordered. The duck was definitely the highlight of the meal though. We were too excited and forgot to take a picture of the oysters, duck, and pork chop. The server also recommended me to try their espresso martini, it was infused with pandan and it had the flavor profile without being overwhelming or too much. The restaurant is cute and intimate, definitely a good date night spot in the area.
Service and ambiance was good. Food was also really tasty as well. I docked one point because although the food was good, it was a little too salty. This was a common theme across all the dishes we ordered. I generally enjoy foods on the saltier side, but if I thought it was salty, it would probably be too salty for others. Definitely get the pot pie, it was the star of the night. We were able to find street parking, but there are also parking lots nearby that cost around $5 an hour.
Besides the toasts, all the dishes were way too salty. Also, the spaghetti noodles were undercooked and crunchy. The duck breast was tender, but then again, way too salty. The dishes are interesting ideas combining French and Japanese cuisine, but the execution was a miss. Food aside, there was a seating hiccup. We had to be seated outside, even though I indicated I'd like to be seated in the standard "indoor" room on my opentable reservation. Per the restaurant, standard includes indoor and outdoor seating together. It should be made clear on Opentable if that's the case. Their manager, I think named Patric, had wonderful service and was a pleasure to have around. I guess he was the only highlight of this restaurant lol (ironically not the food)
My wife and I enjoyed the food and service here. I recommend the branzino, spaghetti bolognese with a Japanese twist, and sweet potato gratin. The croque madame was nothing special and can be made at home for a fraction of the cost. It was interesting, and likely a coincidence, that the restaurant sat all the Asian people at one side of the restaurant. Very peculiar... The fella bussing tables had WAY too much cologne on and it was overwhelming every time he came by to grab our finished plates. Our tables are too close to the neighboring tables as well so when the staff come to take orders and stuff, their butts are right in our faces. It was a bit too close for comfort at the booths and I can hear every word of the neighbor's conversations even though I didn't want to.
I went to a special event from Open Table, Petite Omakase for 6 courses. It was $100 + tip and fee. Came out to $134. I thought it was just for food, but it came with an alcohol or NA pairing for that price! This is probably the most reasonable and surprising cost for a tasting menu. The service was amazing and the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. I wrote notes! [ ] Course 1 mackerel + egg plant , dry white wine. The wine was super dry, but paired well with the mackerel [ ] Course 2 Cucumber, asian pear, lemon creme fresh, japanese plum jelly tooper and martini. This was a refreshing dish. I liked it a lot. [ ] Course 3 chablis, uni and scallop, spinach. My fav!!! For anyone who doesn't like the taste of uni, you can't tell it's uni. It was buttery and fabulous flavors. [ ] Course 4, sunflower pollen sake, poach salmon. Cream corn. Potato was salty. Salmon was ok. [ ] Course 5, red wine. Steak with ginger butter sauce, fingering potatoes. The steak was perfect!! It was wonderful. [ ] Course 6, liquor infused with mandarin and yuzu. Dessert yuzu bar. They also give us a burger to go in a cute little happy meal looking box. I found parking on the side street. But there's a lot across the street for $5/hr. Or valet, $12-15. This place also had wonderful date night vibes with low lights and real candles. read more
13 days ago
The moment I pulled up to the restaurant, I immediately thought to myself, "I've been here before." This used to be Church & State. I was looking forward to trying this French & Japanese fusion spot. I love both cuisines and I can't wait to see how the chef can blend the two together. We were so lucky to find a parking spot right in front. No need to valet. We were there to celebrate a birthday. We were seated right away on the patio. I was afraid I'd be cold but it was ok with the covers. They also have heat lamps. We were very happy with everything we ordered, and we ordered a lot! Highlights were the rolls and uni toast. Delish! We honestly could have skipped the jidori chicken, we ordered one too many entrees. We would love to come back and try more dishes. read more
1 month ago
This was my second visit, which is usually when the honeymoon phase ends. Somehow, it got even better. * The food is French-Japanese fusion, but not in a "we added soy sauce and called it fusion" kind of way. Every dish feels genuinely thoughtful. * The dry-aged burger was deeply savory, perfectly cooked, and extremely juicy. The kind of burger that requires both hands, several napkins, and temporary silence. * The fries were excellent, but the real plot twist was the curry ketchup. I had never tasted anything quite like it before. Sweet, savory, slightly spiced--and dangerously easy to keep eating. * We also tried the pork sandwich, topped with egg yolk. Rich, layered, messy in the correct way, and full of flavor. * The cocktails were also very well made--interesting without feeling like a science experiment served in glassware. * The menu changes frequently, so every visit feels a little different. You might see Japanese and French influences, then suddenly something inspired by Chinese dishes like Peking duck. The chef clearly enjoys traveling without leaving the kitchen. * Most importantly, you can feel the attention in the small details. Nothing seems random, even when the combinations sound unusual. This is becoming the kind of restaurant I'll probably visit once a month just to see what new idea has appeared on the menu. For research purposes, obviously. The curry ketchup has nothing to do with it. read more
I've enjoyed having a spot like Camelia in Los Angeles with a bit of fusion flair. This was our second visit and though it wasn't as memorable as the first, it was still enjoyable. The pot pie is easily the can't‑miss dish being the most memorable dish during both visits. On the second visit, we tried: - Black Sesame Parker House Rolls - Broccolini - Grilled Oyster Mushrooms - Croque Madame with ham katsu (gruyère, mornay sauce, shokupan, cornichons) - Pork Chop - Duck Frites - Abalone & Bay Scallop Pot Pie (king trumpet mushrooms, "snail butter"). You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu though I will say the duck dish I had enjoyed more on my first visit; this time around it leaned noticeably salty, which took away from the dish I enjoyed before. Service is friendly and the space has a bit of an understated, comfortable feel, but intentional. It's the kind of place where you settle in, enjoy the food, and appreciate the details. I love the thoughtfulness of the dishes. Though a few inconsistencies between visits, still a spot I'd return to, especially for that pot pie. read more
We had reservations so we sat right away. The place was basically full inside and outside already right at opening so service was kind of slow. It's dimly lit and loud since there were so many people there already. We were ready to order everything by the time someone came to take our drink order. It's happy hour 5-6pm so half price oysters and discounted highballs. 1/2 dozen oysters were great ! So fresh and creamy Uni and bluefin tuna toast was extremely disappointing. $28 for 2 tiny pieces and it wasn't very flavorful and the toast was soggy The seabass was average again not really worth the price. The mashed potatoes were sweet kind of weird Abalone and scallop pot pie was phenomenal !!!! I could eat 10 of these !! If I ever come back I'd skip most of these items and just get way more oysters and another pot pie read more
3 months ago
Camelia, a restaurant tucked away on corner street on the outer edges of the Arts District. I came here to take advantage of my $150 restaurant credit through my Chase CC and luckily Camelia had open spots a day before they expire. Overall I thought my EXPERIENCE was solid and the FOOD was decent. Let me break it down. I'll list from best to worst. The pot pie was the standout--it came out piping hot. Medium chunks of scallops and bits of snail. Has a creamy and tart/sour taste from the lemon they serve. The bread on top was flaky. Would order again. 6 dozen oysters (during happy hour 5-6pm)--I haven't had oysters in a while, but the were the best I had in a while. They come with a yuzu type sauce and a tomato based sauce. Both were good. These next three I'll group them together as good/decent but nothing special. The mousse pate was packed with flavor, wish the bread was crispier. Spaghetti I can make this better. Burger was okay with lots of melted cheese and (I think) carmelized onions between a brioche--wish this had more in it. The worse thing was the broccolini. I'm not sure why this is even on the menu. If not for the pot pie, the food alone would be a solid 3. I bumped it up to 4 because of the pot pie, the delicious (and stiff) drinks, and the overall experience. read more
3 months ago
Came here on a Sunday night and it was packed. This is a hip, unpretentious restaurant that gave me a Seattle vibe. Service was friendly, attentive but not intrusive. We started with chicken liver mousse toast with blackberry mostarda and yuzu daikon. These two small crostinis are just enough to whet our appetites. We initially ordered the abalone scallop pot pie and Japanese sea bream. The pot pie crust was melt in your mouth flaky. The filling, consisting of tiny diced cubes of abalone, baby scallops (whole) and king mushroom had a mild, buttery taste. Frankly, I felt that the filling was quite scant, albeit tastes good. The sea bream had a crusty skin on top and the flesh was flaky. The sauce was really good. We ended up ordering the black sesame rolls so we could sop all the sauce from the plate. Anyway, we were still hungry so I ordered the pork chop and boy, was it good! It had a breaded crust of honey mustard goodness. It was cooked perfectly tender and somehow has absorbed the flavor of the seasonings. Anyway, we enjoyed this meal and will definitely be back. read more
Came to celebrate our anniversary and had a great experience at Camelia. Cocktails (3.5/5): while they were good, we felt that they were lacking in alcohol content and tasted a little watered down. Oysters (5/5): great value for happy hour and they were tasty. Bluefin tuna toast (2/5): for the cost, the quality did not match and it didn't have much flavor. Chicken liver toast (5/5): highly recommend, I normally don't like chicken liver but I loved this one. Japanese Bolognese (3.5/5): solid, but nothing too special about it. Abalone pot pie (5/5): one of the highlights of the meal, could have eaten one by myself! Duck (4/5): it was cooked well and tasty, loved the fries that came with it. Overall a very nice spot for dinner, highly recommend coming earlier to catch their happy hour deals. Good music, nice ambiance, perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. Not sure if we would pay full price, but using our Chase Sapphire Reserve benefit was worth it! read more
3 months ago
French Japanese! Looking over the menu, this place might seem a bit pretentious with the heavy use of fancy ingredient names and French terminologies, but the food is generally pretty recognizable and tasty. Chicken Liver Mousse - It's like, interesting. Very small appetizer of sorts. Chicken Liver on a tiny piece of toast. Bite-sized. Realistically, might not feel worth the $14 price tag, but heck, we're also here to have a culinary experience of sorts, right? If you don't care for liver and you want actual substantial food, then you can probably skip it. Pork Chop w/ Hot Mustard crust - It was very good! Pork chop was very juicy and delicious. The exterior crust was crispy at some points, and it lead to a very delightful texture. The entree is also tastefully complimented with slices of peaches and fennel. I was very pleased with it. Sweet Potato Gratin - To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of sweet potato. Despite that, I thought it was still pretty good. It also pairs really well with the Pork Chop. Mines came out a little late after I had already finished the Pork, but I still had some pieces of the Pork Chop's crust layer which paired *really* well with the Gratin. If you love sweet potato, you will definitely enjoy this. If you're so-so about sweet potato, it's still pretty good. Abalone and Scallops Pot Pie - This was my favorite. Honestly, if I could order a bigger bowl that was twice the size filled with twice the Abalone and Scallops, I would be over the moon. I love both ingredients, and the "snail butter" complements really well with them. (Snail butter is the same thing they would use with escargot, only without the escargot. I think it's butter with parsley, garlic and shallots) There's a slice of lemon too you can add as well. I alternated bites of the puff pastry lid and the seafood filling, and when I ran out of the latter, I'd dip the puff pastry into the snail butter. It's really good! The service was very friendly and on-par with what I'd expect from a fancier restaurant. My sweet potato gratin was supposed to pair with the pork chops but came out a bit late (even though these are technically two separate dishes) and they were super apologetic about it. I didn't really mind it (although it would have been nice) but I could tell that they are trying to hold themselves to a higher standard because of the interaction. Honestly, I was pretty impressed and while it didn't blow my mind, I wouldn't mind coming back if fate dictates. read more
Liked the ambiance, high ceilings, and their overall setting. Went ahead to sit at the bar...the bartender was super friendly and welcoming. I was surprised that hot towel 'oshibori' was brought to me - very nice touch! I love oshibori! I asked how their burger was...his response was it was the first item he decided to take back home since it was really good, well, I'm sold! Ordered happy hour beverage as well - they looked to be good deals. Both the burger and fries were tasty and perfect with aioli! While the bar seating was filled up while I was eating, the bartender paid close attention and knew the timing to ask for refill. ;) Anyhow, I enjoyed my weekday happy hour experience downtown LA! read more
13 days ago
I want to first start off thanking the staff, especially Patrick and Rebecca for an incredible experience. Everyone had amazing hospitality and attention to detail. We did the tasting menu and it showcased variety of flavors. We added some additional dishes. Our favorite dish was the Jimmy Nardello peppers. The flavors were out of this world (I would eat that everyday if I could). Every wine that was recommended, paired so lovely with every course. It truly was a special dinner. Thank you all! read more
4 months ago
Came here for dinner and I was quite impressed with the food. Service was also top tier as well. Each dish came out in a timely manner and was well coursed out. We got oysters, HH bubbles and highball, pot pie, broccolini, prawns, croque madame, duck, and pork chop. Honestly the broccolini and croque madame were just okay to me. But we really enjoyed everything else we ordered. The duck was definitely the highlight of the meal though. We were too excited and forgot to take a picture of the oysters, duck, and pork chop. The server also recommended me to try their espresso martini, it was infused with pandan and it had the flavor profile without being overwhelming or too much. The restaurant is cute and intimate, definitely a good date night spot in the area. read more
Service and ambiance was good. Food was also really tasty as well. I docked one point because although the food was good, it was a little too salty. This was a common theme across all the dishes we ordered. I generally enjoy foods on the saltier side, but if I thought it was salty, it would probably be too salty for others. Definitely get the pot pie, it was the star of the night. We were able to find street parking, but there are also parking lots nearby that cost around $5 an hour. read more
Besides the toasts, all the dishes were way too salty. Also, the spaghetti noodles were undercooked and crunchy. The duck breast was tender, but then again, way too salty. The dishes are interesting ideas combining French and Japanese cuisine, but the execution was a miss. Food aside, there was a seating hiccup. We had to be seated outside, even though I indicated I'd like to be seated in the standard "indoor" room on my opentable reservation. Per the restaurant, standard includes indoor and outdoor seating together. It should be made clear on Opentable if that's the case. Their manager, I think named Patric, had wonderful service and was a pleasure to have around. I guess he was the only highlight of this restaurant lol (ironically not the food) read more
5 months ago
My wife and I enjoyed the food and service here. I recommend the branzino, spaghetti bolognese with a Japanese twist, and sweet potato gratin. The croque madame was nothing special and can be made at home for a fraction of the cost. It was interesting, and likely a coincidence, that the restaurant sat all the Asian people at one side of the restaurant. Very peculiar... The fella bussing tables had WAY too much cologne on and it was overwhelming every time he came by to grab our finished plates. Our tables are too close to the neighboring tables as well so when the staff come to take orders and stuff, their butts are right in our faces. It was a bit too close for comfort at the booths and I can hear every word of the neighbor's conversations even though I didn't want to. read more
02/20/26 Friday Dropped in a little after 5 PM and was seated immediately. We were told the tables were mostly reserved so we had about 2 hours. Bar seating would not have this restriction. We took the table outside which has cover and heat lamps so it was completely fine with us. My plate and napkin had black particles that I had to wipe off with my wet napkin... I didn't bother asking for a plate replacement. This is in order of when it came out. 8/10 Chicken Liver Mouse Toast - the berry mostarda overpowered the chicken liver. Otherwise, it tasted good. Very umami. Pretty small, like 50 cent coin sized toasts. 8/10 Pot Pie - As it was being served, the server recommended lifting the puff pastry off the little pot, squeezing + stirring in the lemon juice, and then dipping the puff pastry into the filling. The dish came out piping hot. Be careful to avoid touching the little pot. Too salty overall,because the puff pastry also had salt sprinkled and baked into the top. Abalone is on the chewier side. Scallops are perfection. Heavy on the butter, esp since the top is buttery too. 10/10 Dry-Aged Burger was super tender and not greasy. So good. The cheese paired very well with the meat. The jalepeos weren't super spicy, which I am thankful for. The fries are nothing special. 7/10 Grilled loup de mer - They did well with making the fillet very tender and not fishy tasting. Not to mention CRISPY skin! Decent size fillet too. However, the sauce was too tart and the bok choy was too salty. The total came out to be around $150 for two people before tip. The total includes a 4% fee which the state in the menu. We were pretty full, especially with all that butter and oil. Two Co-ed bathrooms. Parking is a limited, but there is street parking available. read more
Service was impeccable! We made a reservation for 5pm and had tickets to see a show at 7pm that'd be about 30-40 minute drive to get to - so we were nervous about making it on time but really wanted to eat here. We called ahead the night before to let them know our situation - they reassured us and let us know they put a note on our reservation. We showed up the next day and were seated promptly - the host and our waiter both were so nice about having seen the notes on our reservation regarding having to leave by a certain time time make a show. Service was efficient there on and after - it was so nice to enjoy our meal without having to worry about making it on time for our show. We're so grateful for how accommodating they were! On top of outstanding service, the food was excellent! We started with the oysters (golden hour pricing 5-6pm- nearly half off regular price!) . The oysters were fresh - the ponzu mignonette and yuzu cocktail sauce were incredible - probably the tastiest cocktail sauce I've had - interestingly, tasted kinda BBQ/smoky in a way on the oyster - so good! We also got the uni/tuna toast, abalone and scallop pot pie, prawns, grilled oyster mushrooms, grilled loup de mere, and fries. All dishes were fantastic but the grilled oyster mushrooms was a standout - the mushrooms had nice grill flavor and the persillade green sauce was exceptional- bright, savory- we dipped some of our fries in it- such a scrumptious bite! We finished with crème fresh cake - delicious! To drink, we had the signet ring NA cocktail and NA panache - both were refreshing and delightful - not too sweet (which is always appreciated when it comes to NA drinks). We parked in the $5 lot across the street. There was also $12 valet. read more
Oh hey, look, it's another already mostly finished review draft I never published from before our trip a month and a half ago... in this case, *just* before. So as the setup for why we were here and when - we just downgraded our Sapphire Reserve after they jacked up the price to a wacky $800 dollars, offset by a bunch of fiddly new annual perks, one of which was $150 off only a couple specific expensive restaurants not terribly near us, the nearest being here. Conveniently for us, the perks showed up just *slightly* before the due date on the annual fee, so obviously we had to make a reservation here and then downgraded the card afterwards. It wasn't previously on my radar, mostly due to price, but for $150 off, stackable with happy hour? That obviously changes the calculus. So as far as service - everything arrived super quickly. Like *crazy* quickly. Not so quickly you don't think they're not making it in the back, but *almost*. Every time. Great service, food-wise. Drinks-wise, they were less consistent there, at least the day I was there in December. (The $12 happy hour martini I ordered actually ended up being removed from my bill without me asking because they could tell I was confused as to why it didn't arrive until several minutes after our food when I ordered it before we started ordering food (I appreciated it but didn't *expect* it. The second drink I ordered, the *fancy* martini, did arrive almost instantly.) Food-wise, we ordered: The Croque Madame - a highlight. Super cheesy, great meat and cheese, pretty rich, actually a decent value for how filling they are. We shared one, I immediately wished we'd each gotten our own. A half-dozen happy hour oysters for $18. I'm not a big fan of oysters, but my wife is - she said they were great. 30 bucks for one fairly small piece of confit'd duck, not nearly a good deal, but it was *very* good confit'd duck. Didn't care for the base much, though, though it was a bit... muddy (not like it didn't know what it wanted to be... like it tasted a little like mud). The $30 abalone and scallop pot pie - a much better value. Definitely wish it'd been bigger, cause it was delicious, but pretty rich and full of great seafood (good abalone and scallops aren't cheap!) Also loved the puff pastry, and that it was easily separated and then dunked as desired, so we could split it. The $26 sashimi place... which yeah, was great, some of the best I've had, mostly because I don't order sushi where 6 pretty small (basically bite-sized) pieces of sashimi were $26. Quite tasty, though. They also sent out a small cookie cause we said we were celebrating our anniversary (the truth, though it was the subsequent Friday rather than the actual mid-week date.) Glad it wasn't anything heavier at that point, as that was a pretty good amount of food for 2 people. To pair with it, obviously I had the happy hour martini since we got there intentionally at the tail end of their happy hour (5-6). It was, as you'd expect, a basic martini, nothing The $18 menu "Decibel" martini - gorgeous. I *am* the target audience for $18 fancy martinis, once it isn't happy hour, especially when Chase subsidized the first $150 of our meal. It was very good. Perfect sweet/savory balance. As a cocktail nerd - a standout. Only reason I'm giving it 4/5 is because, while everything was great, it is all pretty expensive, unless Chase is subsidizing a bunch of it. I could totally see coming back just for a Croque Madame and a happy hour martini as a slight splurge, though, if I happened to be in the area. read more
Honestly, I only discovered this place because it was on my credit card's Reserve dining credit list. Come pull up to the location, and realized they took over the spot of another French restaurant that was Church & State. Camelia has done more than just fill their shoes, but replaced it with Christian Louboutins. I'm weighing 5 stars here, mostly on service. Everyone, and I mean everyone, their whole team from valet, to hostess, to waitress, busboy, and even the floor manager were all so very generous from start to finish. It really brings to mind the last 4-episodes of Grand Maison Tokyo, the J-drama starring Kimu-Taku (member of SMAP, voted Japan's sexiest man for 15 years, and Im Yoona's of Girls Generation's ideal type) where a team of disgraced French-Japanese chefs come back together on the road to attaining "mitsuboshi" (3-Michelin stars). I could practically hear the angels playing Yamashita Tatsuro's "Recipe" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-3ManAlBS0 ) as our meal was wrapping up. All while every table in the joint was filled for a packed Saturday night. I really can't fault anything on the menu. Cocktails are well-crafted, and spot on. Oysters are clean satisfying, whether straight raw, or ponzu vinaigrette. If you like french fries cooked in duck fat, then these are a prime example. Though I realize, I tend to prefer fries cooked in beef tallow or clarified butter for a richer texture and aroma. Duck fat as a cooking medium doesn't exactly make the fries as crisp, and the flavor is more neutral - which allows the dipping sauces like the curry ketchup and the mustard aioli to stand out more. The ahi tuna tartare and uni toast... $28 for two bites. Luxurious, primal, sensually lustful bites. It'll make your eyes roll like being in mid-orgasm. How do some influencers put it? Yummylicious foodgasm? But only 2 bites. The stand out dish of night for me was the abalone bay scallop and mushroom pot pie. The pastry puff is super light, airy, flakier than that friend that always cancels on you. Buttery, old world richer than Warren Buffet. Using abalone and scallops, fellow mollusks in the place of escargot is quite brilliant, while that rustic, savory snail butter sauce goes nuclear on any sense of modesty within you from licking every last drop remaining off the bowl. Our sweetheart of a waitress, Janine (and her heart chakra vibration oozes every bit of sweetheart, the kind that is very loving, giving, self-sacrificing, but not to the point where she'll be a doormat to some ungrateful bitch-ass), she got the kitchen to provide an extra pot pie puff pastry for us. The branzino, on the menu as loup de mer is really quite lovely. Crispy skin, gentle white flesh. Jazzed up with ponzu sauce using oroshi/grated daikon as a sauce delivery medium. Delicious and healthy, the kind the aspiring centenarian orders. The duck breast is also very hearty, meaty. The bearnaise really makes the dish, and I actually really loved the Kyoto red carrots that accompanies it. Maybe the most impressive French duck dish I've had by far in my life... but not enough to pry me away preferring your garden variety $38 whole roast Cantonese duck at the local Sam Woo BBQ, or an order of Peking duck. That's just a matter of my personal taste. Their dessert menu does seem to revolve out for seasonal changes, but I was hoping to try their Castella Pudding. The yuzu tart is pretty good though, if you like citrus type desserts. The berry cream with white sesame pralines were okay, but I felt like it was missing something to give it more impact. As if my inner voice was channeling Stark, asking: "was the Jumbo Berry Special always this small?!" Valet is $12. The parking lot across the street is $5/hour. Something to consider if you want to math up how long you'll spend dinner here. read more
Food here is hit or miss but a decent experience. Came to use the Chase sapphire reserve credit. Sesame roll was good, chicken liver mousse, and the puff pastry abalone scallop pie was good, everything else was normal. Broccolini tasted like medicine so I wouldn't recommend that. We sat outdoors and the it's definitely a louder environment experience. read more
3 months ago
So, let's be honest. Most of us were here to take advantage of the Chase Sapphire Reserve $150 restaurant credit, right? Because Camelia's is one of only like, 3 restaurants on the east side, and pretty much the only one open on Monday (which was the last reasonable day to use this credit - yes, I was panicking, along with apparently 80% of the people who were dining that day). I had made a reservation for a Monday evening for a date night, but my partner had a work emergency, and dang it, the heck if I wasn't going to use this Chase credit! So I figured, no problem. Plan B. I'll just get take out. NEWP. It was Not Allowed (TM). They said the kitchen couldn't accommodate additional take out orders on top of their load that night. I was...a bit perplexed, I guess, because I had made a reservation, so it wasn't...an additional kitchen load? Like, y'all were expecting my party of 2 already? It was..... just putting the food in the box rather than on a plate? Make it make sense. In any case. I planted myself at the bar, made some friends (solo diners who were likewise last minute panicking about making sure to use their Reserve credit), ordered enough food for me and my partner, and as it came out, I just asked them to box it up (yes, I did sneak a couple tastes in). Patrick, who was my server, was fantastic - so kind and understanding. And at the end, Blair the bartender as well as Patrick both helped me make sure my "leftovers" were all there and safely packed for a car ride. Now for the food. Amazing. We got the black sesame rolls with salted butter (SO good), the oyster mushrooms (loved all the flavors on this), the black sesame snap peas (this was nice to get because veggies, but less fun than the others - some of the other dishes just had these lovely complex flavors...this one just sort of had lots of black sesame flavor, which we love, just a bit more straightforward than other stuff). We also got the beef cheek sando that was only available at the bar (delicious and so tender, with a side of picked veggies), the Japanese bolognese (I'm not sure what was Japanese about it, but it was very tasty!), and the seabream.(tender, comes with some sort of mashed something or over that is kind of sweet, and with clams). We might come back in the future for an actual dining experience - the space is cute, and parking isn't horrible. There's valet, but also plenty of parking if you're willing to walk a couple blocks. read more
Enjoyed this Japanese-French fusion restaurant! Ambiance was low lit, casual yet semi fancy? We went on a Friday night and they were busy but luckily we had reservations ahead of time so our wait was not long. Each dish was shareable, and between the two of us we ordered 5 items and it was the perfect amount! Our favorite was the abalone butter pot pie and the fresh oysters with the house made side sauces. read more
If I went to Whole Foods and bought all the ingredients from scratch, I would probably have whipped up a tastier version of the chefs menu in a single evening to be very honest. Not sure what everyone at Camelia is raving about, unless it's the classic Arts District interior vibes or the bartender service, which was on point (thanks Kevin)! Each dish progressively got worse and it didn't start at good in the first place. The chicken pate bites tasted like someone took out a large scoop from the chicken liver pate from the Whole Foods fridge and then slapped it on a piece of undercooked bread. The tuna bite was a jarring, and very, not fresh mouthful of sashimi topped in wasabi plus a random piece of undercooked bread. Every dish after that was a struggle to get through. To be quite honest, I don't remember any of them anymore except the pain that it took to get through the bites. I do remember the Uni pasta I'm wondering how such a tiny piece of Uni could be the namesake of the dish. After struggling through the onion rings with steak, which was overcooked and extremely unappetizing, fit more for an amateur's attempt at preparing meat, the meal ended on a dull note with yuzu tart. The set menu is a low $115 but honestly, pay more for a real set menu or save your money and just get an a la carte entree to save your stomach if you must eat here. All I can say is, save yourself and run over to Bavel, which pretty much guarantees to be a better meal than here. Only reason this even gets any positive mention and 1 star (because this place should get 0 if it existed) is because of Kevin's excellent service and manners, keeping my hot water cup filled and apologizing for the very slow wait between dishes. read more
If you have Chase Sapphire Reserved, highly recommend using your credits here. Camelia has a twist and Italian and Japanese foods and it was quite an experience. Our server was super sweet and tried to help our friend figure out a drink she'd like and still match the foods we ordered as well. Just a heads up, there is no waiting area, so if you're waiting for the rest of your party at night, it will get cold. They have a course meal, but we decided to order a bunch of plates and share to try more during our visit. Chicken Liver Mousse Toast - For those open to trying new things, this was surprisingly good. Honestly I can be a little picky, so the name made me nervous, but after a bitch, it was really good. You have the citrus from the yuzu, the fatty duck liver, and then a daikon to balance it all out Grilled oyster mushrooms - Very chewy and came with a slightly sweet sauce over it Croque Madame of Ham Katsu - Holy cow this was good. It was rich and the sauce they poured over the top enhanced the flavors of the ham Abalone and Bay Scallop Pot Pie - The only pot pies I've ever tried were from the frozen section at a grocery store so I was not expecting how it looks in a restaurant. The top was super puffy while the inside was hot and thick. I used the top puff as a bowl and scooped some of the filling in. The abalone and scallop gave it a little chewiness in each bite. Uni Risotto Lamb sirloin - Amazingly tender. The flavor is very light so it's not overwhelming. The carrots had a strong umami to them, so it didn't take long for me to eat all of these. Kombu rice -Very light with some seasoning on top. This was a nice experience, but I think it'd be better if it's paired with the more salty dishes to help even it out. Sweet potato Gratin - Very soft and a little sweet. read more
An interesting, ambitious blend of French and Japanese flavors in an upscale yet still accessible dining experience, Camelia blends the best of French dining with oriental flavors. The abalone scallop pot pie was my favorite of the night, and featured a crispy, flaky pasty with delicious scallops and abalone in a delicious sauce. Portions were on a bit of the smaller side, but should still fill you up if you don't come too hungry. A definite must visit if you're a fusion lover like myself! read more
7 months ago
I celebrated my birthday month at Camelia and it was such a lovely dining experience. I've always wanted to try French and Japanese fusion, so this spot had been on my list for a while. The branzino was the standout of the night. Perfectly seared with crispy skin and tender flaky fish, served over greens with a bright ponzu daikon sauce that brought everything together. Every bite was light, balanced, and really flavorful. We also tried the duck. While it wasn't my favorite dish of the night, the presentation was beautiful and it was still nicely prepared. We started with oysters during happy hour and there was a small mix up where the kitchen initially brought a dozen instead of the half dozen included in the special. They caught it and fixed it right away. Our server Janine was attentive, friendly, and handled everything smoothly. They also surprised us by comping the yuzu dessert, which was such a refreshing citrusy finish and a really sweet birthday month touch. Mistakes can happen anywhere, but what stood out was how graciously the team handled everything. Great service from Janine, thoughtful dishes, and an amazing branzino. I'm looking forward to coming back. read more
7 months ago
We recently tried Camelia and it was a flavor journey! I was so exited to try their take on French and Asian flavors. We went on a Saturday night at 7:30pm. It was definitely busy and I imagine it would have been difficult to walk in with a reservation. When we were seated it took some time for us to get our order started, but it was a very busy night. Our waitress Rebecca was awesome and super attentive through the evening. We ordered a little bit of everything and all of the plates are shareable which makes this good for a group of 2-4 people! The menu does change periodically so some of these items may not be available! Our order in included: - Japanese black sesame rolls - 1/2 dozen oysters - shima aji sashimi - market lettuces - king oyster mushrooms - spaghetti bolognese - grilled pekin duck breast The standouts of the night were the rolls, market lettuces, oyster mushrooms and the duck breast. The duck breast had AMAZING flavors, a beautifully crispy skin, and a juicy bite. The fries were the perfect side to soak up the remaining bernaise sauce. It was a bit of a smaller portion so if sharing definitely get at least 1 more entree. Can't wait to go back and try the steak au poivre an sweet potatoes gratin. read more
We were greeted warmly and seated promptly despite being a bit late. The Golden Hour specials appealed to us since the oysters, fries and some drinks seemed like a decent deal (however, we should have taken a look at the entrees first since the fries comes with many of them!). -Oysters tasted fine and pretty fresh - the accompanying sauces were a nice touch - and stood out to me. -Red prawns had good texture and the sauce was so tasty I couldn't leave any on the plate -pork chop with the hot mustard honey crust - kids were turned off by the mustard, but I thought the flavor was fine - it seemed like less of a crust and more of a soggy breading though -Spaghetti Bolognese - I wanted more - which means it was good! - just wanted a bit more. -Pekin duck breast - I really like eating duck like this. Based on the name of the dish I want to assume it's a play on Peking duck, but if that's the case I want crispier skin. Not going to lie - I came here to redeem a credit card dining credit, but at least it gave us an excuse to explore new restaurants. And as much as I feel it's a drag sometimes to bring the kids to these places, it also forces us to order more since we have more mouths to feed. Decent place for kids too since it's not super quiet and their rowdiness may go unnoticed. I liked this place, and there were other dishes I would come back to try - if I had more credit card credits to redeem. read more
I wanted to try this restaurant as a French / Japanese restaurant sounds amazing but it just doesn't live up to it. We didn't have a reservation so we waited for an hour and half which was fine. The hostess set the expectation well and since we wanted to try this restaurant we decided to wait. Once we got seated the waiter was ready to take our order. After asking for a few more minutes we finally ordered ... and ordered an additional appetizer because our server said our dishes would take awhile. Not 5-10 min later one of our main dishes was delivered to our table and a few minutes after the appetizer. Surprised that our dish came early we decided to begin eating and sharing the dish and side. Once we were finished our server came back and started to clear the table and asked if we were ready for desert - not knowing that our table never received our final dish. Needless to say we didn't have a good experience for what was supposed to be considered a good restaurant. The food was alright but the service doesn't match up. read more
To start, know that there is a 4% per guest charge. I enjoyed the Camelia Daiquiri and New York Sour. The chicken liver toast had an ample amount of the pate. You can probably ask for more bread to spread it out because it is a whole lot of pate in one bite. The market salad had greens that were withering, so definitely not the freshest salad. They didn't check it when they washed and plated the salad? The spaghetti bolognese was a bit too salty for me, luckily someone else at the table loved it and ate it all up. When we got the beef cheek, I really loved that one and since I didn't really eat the other stuff, I was given majority of it. Lucky me. This one is a must order. The service was on par. Ambience is very intimate. After dinner you can go across to the flamingo bar and get more drinks. read more
We rarely trek all the way to the Arts District for dinner (because... LA), but when we do, we try to make it count. And Camélia definitely made it worth the drive. We snagged seats at the chef's counter, which sounds very exciting and theatrical. In reality... we did not actually see any chefs. Not a single sauté pan in motion. It may have just been the empty pastry station we were staring at all night lol. So if you're going for dinner and a show, just know the "show" might be more interpretive. That said -- Patrick took amazing care of us and fully made up for the lack of culinary live action. Elite vibes, super knowledgeable, and generous with wine tastes. The sesame roll? Obsessed. Paired with that French butter that melts instantly like it has no responsibilities? Unreal. I would've happily just eaten bread and butter and called it a night. The chicken liver pâté nearly shocked me when it arrived because... she tiny. Like comically tiny. But wow -- rich, smooth, and packed with flavor. Small but mighty queen. The chicory salad was... a journey. Bitter, spicy, sweet, sour -- my taste buds were in a full-blown group chat argument. I appreciate the ambition, but I'm still on the fence. Now the duck? Absolutely divine. Main character energy. Perfectly cooked, deeply flavorful, zero complaints. The fries though... meh. And the ketchup had paprika in it?? I respect the creativity, but sometimes Heinz just needs to Heinz. The sweet potato baked dish was a sleeper hit -- cheesy, cozy, decadent deliciousness. Would order again in a heartbeat. Wine selection was fantastic, prices were definitely on the higher side, but hey -- it's LA and it was Valentine's Day weekend. We emotionally prepared. read more
The food, vibes, and service here are great, its just a tiny bit pricey for what it is; however, if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can use your dining credit here and that makes this place worth a visit! I ordered the following in my visit: Flame Seared Japanese Madai Sashimi Uni & Bluefin Tuna Toast (really good small bites) Chicken Liver Mousse Toast (really good small bites) Hokkaido Uni Pasta (a little al dente, which I liked) Oyster on the half-shell read more
I've been hearing good things about Camelia, a French/Japanese spot DTLA's art district so I decided to come here with a friend. We ordered a bunch of dishes to try: Black sesame parker house rolls with house-cured ikura Grilled oyster mushrooms Abalone and bay scallop pot pie Hokkaido uni pasta Grilled pekin duck breast Sweet potato gratin Matcha yuzu tart The best dishes of the night were the abalone and bay scallop pot pie and grilled oyster mushrooms. Definitely take a moment to admire how tall the puff pastry is. The seafood in the pot pie filling is so savory and the seafood is so fresh, we can't stop eating it. Something about grilling the oyster mushroom - it brings out so much flavor and the sauce was a perfect compliment. Overall the food was tasty. Though I feel like the food and menu has good intention but some execution and combination is a bit off. For example, the uni pasta is mostly buttery. It didn't have much uni flavor. The duck fat bearnaise was too heavy with the duck breast that has a fatty skin already. We added house-cured ikura to the black sesame parker house rolls that's additional $15. We didn't taste much sesame flavor and the ikura flavor was too fishy for the rolls. It was a packed house on a Friday night. Even with reservation we waited half an hour to be seated at a table outside. Service was a bit slow so we were late for the 2 hour self parking lot. The space is read more
8 months ago
I was excited to try Camelia after hearing all the hype. I finally made reservations for one rainy night! It's small and cozy inside, and the tables are pretty close together. They also have a patio with heaters. With the reservations, we still had to wait about 10-15 minutes, and after we were seated, it was a while before anyone came to take our order. We ordered the bluefin tuna toast, market salad, abalone and bay scallops pot pie, and the branzino. The bluefin tuna toast was tasty but pricey for such a small bite. Market salad tasted light and fresh with the apples, walnuts and calamansi vinaigrette. I wish they put onions in the description though, because I don't like onions and it altered the taste for me. The pot pie was really good! It was my favorite dish of the night. Loved the flaky puff pastry on top, and the buttery sauce. It does get a little heavy though so it's best to share! Branzino was tasty, but nothing really special about it. Also, there is a 4% fee added to your bill and tax on top of it. Overall, food was pretty good but aside from the pot pie, nothing really stood out. And service was just okay. The staff is cordial, but service was slow. We ran out of water and didn't have anyone come by for a while for us to ask for a refill. Parking is either valet or street. read more
This is a French Japanese fusion restaurant located in the Art District DTLA. Street parking is very difficult to find. There is valet parking available at the entrance on the side of the street. We opted to park at a paid lot right across the street ($5/hour) and you must pay upfront (can choose from 1 hour, 2 hours, etc ). Warning!! the parking spaces are very COMPACT. If you have a bigger car, I would try valet parking instead. We made a dinner reservation for friday night on opentable and we still had to wait about 30 mins before we were seated. They were very busy , do expect a slight wait on peak nights. The ambiance is very nice w/ an open kitchen and the decor sets the tone. There are both indoor and outdoor seatings with heat lamps + throws for you in case it's cold. There is a pre-set menu you can order from, but all parties must order the same set menu. The food and the flavor was very impressive and flavorful. Since this is a French culinary, there will be LOTS LOTS of BUTTER, but it's so yummy. What we ordered: - Decibel Martini 10/10 - Main ingredients are Shochu, Haku vodka, French vermouth, hint of lychee. The lychee gave it a good kick (Im a huge lychee fan). This martini was served with a sidecar (a drink refill nestled in a small bowl of ice to keep the cocktail cold.). - Grilled oyster mushroom 10/10 - MUST ORDER!! Wooow, hands down the best mushroom appetizer I've ever had. The flavor was so good that I want to order another one. - Abalone and bay scallop pot pie 10/10 - MUST ORDER!! This pot pie surprised me. They didn't skimp out on the abalone and scallop ingredients. The flaky crust topper was perfection. - Parker House Rolls w/ Ikura 6/10 - will not order again. No black sesame flavor, although the rolls were fluffy. The butter was bland. The ikura is not worth the add'l $15, I don't know if the Ikura flavor goes with the rolls. - Uni pasta 6/10 - will not order again. There were a few tiny uni pieces at the top. The pasta texture was slightly hard , not al dente . Not much flavor except salt and butter. - Duck breast frites 9/10 - One of the best duck breast I've had. Very juicy, tender, medium-rare-ish duck breast with the brown sauce. I wasn't a fan of the duck fat bearnaise , I think it was way too rich for me. The carrots were really good. French Fries was 9/10 too ! - Sweet potato gratin 8/10 - this dish was good, the sweet potato with miso butter was pretty tasty. - yuzu matcha tart 10/10 - very good crust with a balanced flavor of yuzu and matcha. I think my palette was very tarty towards the 2nd half of it but I still managed to eat it all because it was very good. Overall, it was an amazing meal and I would definitely return again to try other dishes. It was a great dining experience. read more
Got reservations thru open table for camellia as French and Japanese are one of my two favorite cuisines! Unfortunately it gets busy and we got a late dinner reservation, we were promptly seated at 845 however by time of order and getting our food it took almost 30 min or more. Our waitress was really nice tho and she said their system were down so took awhile for the order to come in coz a couple next to us half an hour after we were seated got their food even before us. Now after reading their reviews this is fairly common for this place As far as food, we got their abalone pot pie, branzino and the grilled duck breast. All were delicious and solid options. This place is however on the pricier side. Got 3 items and 1 hot sake drink for over $200 for two people. Worth checking perhaps one time, not sure if we would be back read more
10 months ago
10 months ago
I've been wanting to try this place ever since I peeked in shortly after they opened during an Arts District staycation I did awhile ago. Partners Charles Namba (chef) and Courtney Kaplan (wine and sake director) have a well-regarded culinary history; he brings French influences and technique to his Japanese background. The restaurant occupies a ground floor space in the historic National Biscuit Company building, which has been converted into lofts. The space has been at least 2 different restaurants in the past. You may be able to find street parking in the area, or they have a valet. The space is pretty with an open kitchen on one end and a bar on the other. There is a large outdoor patio also. I initially booked planning to try the short Golden Hour (5-6 pm) menu, which at one time featured a soft-shell crab sandwich as well as oysters and fries. The sandwich was briefly replaced with an oyster po' boy, but now only has the oysters and fries. Thus I was planning to order off the regular menu, but was also presented with a Chef's Set List that looked interesting and had good value, so I chose that. It was the best introduction to a variety of plates I was interested in. The Set menu included: Bluefin tuna toast, Chicken liver mousse toast, Grilled kabocha squash, Uni pasta, Loup de mer, Hanger steak au poivre, Yuzu tart. Every dish was delish, with my favourites being both the toasts, the pasta and the steak. I was today years old when I learned loup de mer and branzino are the same fish! One is the French name and the other the Italian name. I hope to return because there are dishes on the regular menu I'd still like to try, like the Croque Madame, Abalone and scallop pot pie, Grilled Pekin duck breast and the burger. read more
Parking- street or valet ($12 as of 11/25) Best to go with a party of 3+ as tables for two aren't in the best spots in the restaurant (ie risk of seating by the bathroom). For a night that easily tops $200+ for two, a bathroom adjacent table isn't ideal. The meal itself was great! Highly recommend the duck breast, spaghetti bolognese, pot pie,and the rolls. Their martini is not to be missed. Our server was attentive at first but rarely checked on us towards the end of our meal. Our plates arrived early in quick sequence, but my main was poorly timed (and slightly rarer than I'd expect a duck breast). read more
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